What’s up: Greinke remains one of baseball’s most reliable right-handers. Dating to the beginning of the 2013 season, the Dodgers are 30-12 in the 42 games he has started. Trouble is, the Dodgers have lost three games in a row with Greinke on the mound, including a 5-4 loss to the Rockies on June 7 at Coors Field. Though he didn’t get pinned with the loss that day, he allowed a season-high 11 hits.

Background: The Dodgers have been playing mediocre baseball, despite their $239 million payroll. Greinke is not the reason. After all, he’s 8-3 with a 2.65 ERA and has struck out 92 while walking just 18. Injuries have taken their toll on the Dodgers, and it is pitching that has kept them within striking distance of the Giants in the National League West.

Saunders take: Despite his brilliance, Greinke is feeling the heat from those who think the Dodgers had better start cutting into the Giants’ division lead ASAP. “I mean, people expect us to win every game, win 10 games in a row,” he told reporters last week. “It’s possible (to catch San Francisco), but I mean we’re over .500, I think we’re in the playoffs as of now. We can do better, but jumping all over everyone when we’re facing the second-best team in baseball right now, the Giants, and doing what we can … Like I said, you can’t win 10 games in a row every time.” Greinke, along with star left-hander Clayton Kershaw, likely will keep the Dodgers in the hunt for a wild-card playoff berth. But I don’t see them catching the Giants, and you have to wonder how wisely the Dodgers spent all of that money.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.